Snore fest.

And I’m just not really feeling those posts anymore.  Part of the reason is that I also don’t want to bring in discussion topics in those posts.  For me personally, I feel like discussion worthy topics should get their own posts to highlight them.  I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone else but me.   I am very much a compartmentalized type of personality.  I like things to be neat and orderly.  Things that are worth a big “discussion” should be in their own category while what I ate for lunch should be in its own category.  Because of that mentality, my daily eats posts are full of nothing.  The content is not there and I’m not feeling happy with them.  Therefore I want to maybe put them away for a little while and focus on some other things.

What I would like to do is talk about varying topics in regards to food.  I want to have more time to focus on Tips and Reviews but also recipes and my training.  I’m thinking of putting up a weekly training post instead of daily.  I haven’t worked out all the kinks yet, mostly I’m trying to feel my way through and discover what works and what I like doing.

Rose said something in a post the other day that a reader described her blog as a Life Blog with a food emphasis.  This is what I would like OHC to be.  I want it to be a Life Blog discussing lots of things with an emphasis on food and exercise.  Where along with silly little life stories there are recipes and food reviews and so on.  The OHC tagline is “Food, wine, running, life…” And I really should be sticking with that more I think.  Right now I’m not feeling like my blog fits that tagline.

My daily eats posts were for me in the very beginning.  They helped me keep track of what I was eating and work through my food issues so I could figure out what works for me and what does not.  I’m now at a point where I’m pretty confident in my food choices and with knowing my body.  For a while I kept them going because I thought that other people liked them and/or could benefit from them.  However, now as I write them, I know there is nothing substantial there.  The content isn’t good, or let me rephrase, I’m not happy with the content and therefore I don’t feel happy when I publish it.  I feel like I’m writing it just to get it done and up.

That’s not really okay with me.  Like some other bloggers, I would rather have quality over quanity here at OHC.  I’ve got standards!

I’m just giving you a heads up in case you’re wondering why all of the sudden I’m just blabbing away instead of talking to you about smoothies.  Of course Pizza Thursday will always get talked about because OHC started it and it’s exciting!

I hope that you will stick around but I understand if you don’t because the new content isn’t your thing.  Feedback is always welcome!

I’ve been blogging my daily eats.

I’ve been providing tips.

I’ve been writing food reviews.

I’ve started doing some other exercise and nutrition discussion.

And basically just talking about life in general.

This past year has been rewarding and challenging in so many different ways.  In this year I have also made some discoveries and have come to some conclusions that I would like to share with you.

First up is the daily eats section.  Daily eats is hard, yo!  It’s not taking the pictures that’s hard, it’s dealing with those pictures and writing the post that is hard and time consuming.  One thing you might have already noticed is that I’ve started posting once a day now, in the evenings, instead of two posts a day.  Two posts a day was stressing me out.  Sometimes I would be in the middle of something and I would have to stop in order to have the time to get my afternoon post up.  It takes me at least a half an hour to write a daily eats post and that’s if I do it quickly.  Most times it takes me much longer.

I personally have a hard time keeping up with blogs that post more than once a day.  I have specific times that I can read and comment.  It’s not everyday although I wish it could be.  Just know that I’m still reading your blogs even if I haven’t commented in a while! Sometimes I don’t have anything to add to the conversation.   Anyway, my point is, when I finally have a chance to sit down to read blogs and see that one blog might have 25 posts for me to catch up on, that becomes a little overwhelming.  If it’s overwhelming for me, it’s possible that it’s overwhelming for others.  Because of that and because sometimes it is hard for me to find the time in the afternoon to do a post, I’ve started doing daily eats posts once a day and writing an entry about the whole day as opposed to in parts.

I have also started posting mostly about my dinners because my breakfast and lunches are the same the majority of the time.  I will be creating a OHC Fuel page discussing how I stuff mah face, feed and fuel this gorg bod I’m rockin’.  When breakfast and lunch is different, I’ll share it.  I will probably still talk about my smoothies in detail though since I love them and they are something that I consider to be unique.  Omitting the breakfast and lunch portion of the daily eats will free up more time for me to talk about exercise or whatever topic I’m thinking about that day.

I’m also taking a more laid-back approach to posting.  If for some reason, I can’t get to a post that day and it moves over to the next day, no big deal.  I used to stress about this a lot and wonder if delaying posting was costing me readership.  What I’ve realized is that people are either going to like my blog or not.  If they like what I have to say and my style, then when I post is not a big deal.  I’m still getting used to allowing myself the ability to put off a post until the next day but it has happened before and I’m okay with that.

And also, in regards to tips and reviews, I am still going to do these posts because I enjoy them a lot.  However, if there is a week where I don’t get one up or maybe I don’t have anything lined up for that week, then it won’t go up or maybe I’ll talk about something else.   This has happened a few times already and nothing catastrophic has resulted because of it.  There are a lot of things I want to talk about and discuss but sometimes there isn’t enough days in the week to post everything!   So you might see a tip and review that week or you may not, it might be replaced with something else.  Cool?

And last but not least, OHC has a new look! If you’re using a reader, please click through and check me out.   Everything is now on the front page for easier access and reading.  I think with the style before people didn’t understand I had multiple sections and not everything was found on the front page.  Hopefully this should make navigation easier.  The design is still a work in progress and I’m working on additional tabs to provide more information about me and the website.

Here’s a screenshot of how the new design is supposed to look.  Just an FYI, but the site is designed with Firefox and Safari in mind, so it will probably look different with Internet Explorer.  If it looks seriously different, please give me a heads up so I know what to tell Scott.   If you are seeing weird issues and are using Firefox or Safari, let me know what those are!

Hooray for 2010 and a brand new year at OHC!

I would love to talk about some of my likes and dislikes that I have on gear.  And also share with you some of my thoughts on different products I’ve tried. Would you be interested in reading some OHC Workout Gear Reviews?  It would range from clothing to accessories and also gadget stuff (to indulge my nerdy side).  I created a poll so that you can vote on it without having to leave a comment.  But I would love it if you did comment as well and let me know your thoughts!

Thanks guys!!

Number 31!! Maggie, The Salad Girl, that’s you!   Congrats!!  Please email me your address so I can ship off this package of goodies to you!  My email is located in the “contact” area of my site.  You have until Tuesday, 12pm EST, to email me your contact info.  Otherwise your winnings will get passed on to another person.

I used Random.org to pick a winner.

Do no fret my lovlies, OHC will be holding future giveaways as well which will also be chocked full of yummy things.  Stay tuned!

Helen  (Helen’s Journey)
Monica (Okie)
Junghwa (blueskyworld.wordpress.com)
Dana (danaontheroad.blogspot.com)
Brandi (branappetit.wordpress.com)
Lindsay (love of oats)
Marianne (frenchfriestoflaxseeds)
Michelle (luckytastebuds)
Becky (Searching for OZ)
Hannah (fickleberry.wordpress.com)
Maggie (Salad Girl)
Heather (Hangry Pants)
Krista (Krista’s Kravings)
Sarah (Tales of Expansion)
LIsa (lifeloveviolin.blogspot.com)
Lesley (lborger.blogspot.com)
Melissa (ahappyandhealthylife.blogspot.com)
Lora (honeynutlo.com)
Sarah (lovinmytummy.wordpress.com)
Livin’ It (rotatingflyingteacups.blogspot.com)
Emily (nutritiousisdelicious.blogspot.com)
Emmy (emmyster.wordpress.com)
Hannah (finkleberry.wordpress.com)
Sarah W (sarawithanhishealthy.wordpress.com)
Erika (peaceandpeanutbutter.wordpress.com)

I have so many new blogs and faces to check out!  Please know that while it will take me some time, I will get to your blog and visit with you.   Hooray for new friends!  See you at 4pm EST for the winner!

The package is made up of some of my very favorite CHOCOLATE items.  Yes, you read that right.  All chocolate yummy things.  You can thank Scott for this because he came up with the chocolate theme.  Isn’t he an awesome fella?  Let’s see what we got, shall we?  From left to right:

• Ghirardelli 60% Cacao squares
• Chocolate Silk Soymilk
• Chocolate Bear Naked Granola
• FoodShouldTasteGood Chocolate Chips
• Chocolate Brownie Zbars
• Dark Chocolate PB

Plus a few other goodies I might toss your way.   And they all come in a reusable Whole Foods tote. 

All you have to do is comment on this post to enter!  Contest starts today and ends Sunday at noon EST.  I will pick a winner by random number and post the winner by Sunday 4pm EST.  You must be willing to check back to see if you’ve won and you must be willing to give me your address so I can send your prize out!  Everyone is eligible, because I’m shipping it so I will send it to you whereever you are.

Want another chance to win?  Post about this contest on your blog (if you have one) and you can comment here again for another chance to win!  Make sure you let me know that you posted about it.

YaY!  Now, who wants some chocolate?

P.S. Sorry for the confusion guys! My actual birthday is Friday (ooo spooky!) but I wanted to get this posted so everyone had a chance to enter!   I’m so excited that you all like the contest!

Wheee birthday!

]]> http://offhercork.com/2009/03/birthday-week/feed/ 10 http://offhercork.com/2009/03/march-is-birthday-month-so-its-all-about-me/ http://offhercork.com/2009/03/march-is-birthday-month-so-its-all-about-me/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:04:44 +0000 Andrea http://offhercork.com/?p=3952 Hello my lovies!  Let’s chat a minute about how great March is, okay?  March means that while we may experience some crazy-azz weather, it’s almost Spring!  March means the sun shines a little more and we get a little more daylight both in the morning and in the evening.  March means the birds are back and are starting to make more birdies.

But most excitedly, March means it’s birthday time!  OHC owner, president, and CEO has a birthday this month!  Which means me.

I love my birthday because it’s all about me and I get to feel super special.   If you remember from Scott’s birthday, we celebrate birthdays all week here at the HQ.  I’ve decided for my birthday, the festivities extend to the blog and I will be doing some extra special fun stuff.  And I also will be doing some posts that are a little more focused on me!  Meaning, posts about my goals and achievements thus far.  And while things may be a little more centered around me, I promise it’s going to be more reflective and introspective and not quite so Andrea-fabulous (not that there’s anything wrong with that! ).

The big day is not this week but next week (falling on a spectacularly “spooky” day) and I’ve been planning out how the week will go and the birthday menu.  YUM!  Plus putting together some fun things for the site.  What do I have in store?  Well you’re just going to have to stay tuned to find out.

Hooray for March!

Except for TJ’s, they accepted his straight away.  T, your OHC mail is on its way! 

He can raise one eyebrow, just like that, and crack me up every single time he does it.

We’ve been together for over 10 years and he still wants to stick around even though I can be crazy sometimes.

When we were in college, he would drive 7hours to my school every weekend to come visit me.

He handles all the creepies and buggies that make it into the house because he knows I cannot.

He lets me be me 100% and loves me for it.

He’s my little geek lover and has unleashed and nurtured my need for better and newer electronics. (Speaking of, when are we getting that new receiver?  I’m just sayin’.)

He always makes sure there are cold drinks in the “beverage fridge”.

He doesn’t tell me I can’t ever do something.

He’s super supportive and always has my back.

But most importantly he’s my little muffin and has shown me what unconditional love really is.

Happy Birthday Scott!!  Love you, hope you had an awesome birthday this year!!

P.S. This is about as mushy as you’re gonna see me get.